Test schedule estimator for legacy builds

Abstract

A test schedule estimator for performing fixes on released software. In a preferred embodiment, historic data from similar builds are used with other data to estimate a time required to perform testing and release based on the number of fixes implemented.

1. A computer implemented method executed to estimate the time required for testing specified software, comprising the steps of:
 determining a preliminary number of test cases as a function of a number of received problem reports for the specified software; and 
 modifying the preliminary number of test cases using historic data from software projects similar to said specified software to provide an estimate of said required time. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a number of test cases includes raising the number of received problem reports to an exponent less than one, and then adding a number thereto. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the historic data is combined into a Test Execution Factor used to modify the preliminary number of test cases to provide said estimate of said required time. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of determining and modifying are performed on an information processing system. 
     
     
       5. A method for providing an estimated time schedule for testing specified software, said method comprising operating a data processing system to perform the steps of:
 determining a preliminary number of test cases from a prespecified relationship between said number of test cases, and a number of received problem reports for the specified software; 
 scaling the preliminary number of test cases by a first factor to produce a first result, wherein the first factor is derived from historic data from software projects similar to said specified software; and 
 scaling the first result by a second factor to produce an estimated time. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of determining a number of test cases includes raising the number of received problem reports to an exponent less than one, and then adding a number thereto. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the historic data is combined into a Test Execution Factor used to modify the preliminary number of test cases to produce said estimated time. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second factor is derived from data including the amount of resources dedicated to testing the software. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the steps of determining a number of test cases, scaling the number of test cases, and scaling the first result are performed on an information processing system. 
     
     
       10. In a data processing system, apparatus for estimating the time required for testing software, said apparatus comprising:
 a first processing component for determining a number of test cases as a function of first data indicating the number of problem reports received for the specified software; 
 a second processing component for scaling the number of test cases by historic data to produce a scaled number of test cases; 
 a third processing component for scaling the scaled number of test cases by second data indicating the amount of resources dedicated to testing the number of test cases; and 
 a component for selectively storing said second data indicating said amount of dedicated resources. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the number of test cases is determined by raising the first data to an exponent less than one, and then adding a number thereto. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the historic data is gathered from testing of software similar to the specified software. 
     
     
       13. In an information processing system, a computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing an estimated time schedule for testing specified software, said computer program product comprising:
 computer readable instructions for determining a preliminary number of test cases as a function of a number of received problem reports for the specified software; 
 computer readable instructions for scaling the preliminary number of test cases by a first factor to produce a first result, wherein the first factor is derived from historic data from software projects similar to said specified software; 
 computer readable instructions for scaling the first result by a second factor to produce an estimated time; and 
 computer readable instructions for selectively storing said estimated time. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the step of determining a number of test cases includes raising the number of received problem reports to an exponent less than one, and then adding a number thereto. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the historic data is combined into a Test Execution Factor used to modify the preliminary number of test cases to produce said estimated time. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the second factor is derived from data including the amount of resources dedicated to testing the software. 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the steps of determining a number of test cases, scaling the number of test cases, and scaling the first result are performed on an information processing system.